The New Zealand actor died suddenly in Sydney yesterday at the age of 78, his family announced last night.
A titan of the international film industry, Sir Sam lived primarily near Alexandra in Central Otago, where he founded and operated his award-winning winery Two Paddocks.
In recent years, he had been vocal in his opposition to a proposed open-cast gold mine near Cromwell.
Central Otago landscape artist and environmentalist Sir Grahame Sydney said as a friend, Sir Sam was "generous, witty, wonderful company and always immensely thoughtful".
"While Sam was a man of international professional life, his heart was firmly fixed in Central Otago," Sir Grahame said.
"He considered himself a . . . ‘jobbing actor’, but everyone knew that was natural modesty — he was much more than that."
Sir Sam’s impact on New Zealand cultural life was "immeasurable", Sir Grahame said.
"He will be sadly missed by so many because he was a dear friend to many and generosity was an impulse that was natural to him."
Dunedin businessman Sir Ian Taylor said it had been an overwhelming shock to learn of Sir Sam’s death.
A "Central Otago stalwart", Sir Sam’s love for the region was clear, Sir Ian said."Even as he put his arguments about the gold mine, he did it quietly and with dignity.
"What you could never doubt was his sincerity about the importance of Central Otago, the landscape.
"It was never about himself."
Sir Ian said Sir Sam had taken New Zealand’s film and wine industries to the world.
"One of the things that came to me almost immediately after the shock of it was, I was just reminded of the Māori saying about the kūaka, the godwit that travels from New Zealand and travels the world looking for opportunities, but always brings them home," Sir Ian said.
"That was Sam Neill."
Sir Sam had been part of some "incredibly huge" films, but "somehow they all continued to tell a New Zealand story, because Sam was there as a New Zealander", Sir Ian said.
"I think now’s the time to pause and just go, ‘actually, let’s just embrace what Sam did’.
"Just remind ourselves, we can take to the world and be New Zealanders, all of the time."
Sir Sam was patron of several New Zealand and Australian organisations, including Alexandra’s Central Cinema.
Last year, he became the first patron of the Dunstan Hospital Foundation.
